How to use Alexa routines: The possibilities are endless

While directly controlling your accessories from a device like an Amazon Echo is all well and good, a smart home isn’t very smart if it doesn’t run some things independently. Here’s how to use Alexa routines, the automation component of Amazon’s smart home platform.

See also: The best Echo speakers

What can you do with Alexa routines?

Alexa routines consist of three parts: a name, a trigger condition (“when this happens”), and one or more actions. In theory the possibilities are endless, dictated only by your imagination and the compatible hardware and services you have available. If it connects to Alexa, chances are you can automate it.

There are several overarching trigger categories, which may or may not be available depending on your region:

• Voice refers to a custom Alexa phrase, such as “Alexa, I’m leaving for work.”
• Schedule refers to a time of day. This includes options to repeat on one or more days of the week, and/or use sunrise or sunset offsets instead of a fixed time. You might, for example, want to trigger outdoor lighting 30 minutes before sunset, which will occur at different times throughout the year.
• Smart Home uses the state of accessories like locks, sensors, and security cameras.
• Location is based on the presence of the mobile device you’re using the Alexa app on. You can set actions to trigger when you leave or arrive at a particular address.
• Alarms makes things happen when you dismiss a clock alarm.
• Sound Detection options include coughs, barks, snoring, water sounds, crying babies, or beeping appliances.
• Guard specifically means Alexa Guard, a security feature that listens for sounds like breaking glass or smoke/carbon monoxide alarms. You have to configure Alexa Guard to use this trigger, and it’s only available in the US so far.

There are over a dozen action categories, each with their own sub-menus, but these are some of the most commonly used ones:

• Customized supports anything you can think of an Alexa command phrase for, which can help cut to the chase. You could, say, type out “Alexa, shuffle Bedtime for Bonzo on Spotify” instead of using a Music & Podcasts action.
• Alexa Says makes Alexa say something in its synthesized voice.
• Calendar can tell you the next event on a linked calendar, all the events for today, or all the events for tomorrow.
• Device Settings can stop audio, change the volume on an Alexa speaker, or turn on Do Not Disturb mode.
• Fire TV controls Amazon’s namesake brand of streamers and TVs, for instance, by playing a show or movie.
• Guard tells Alexa Guard to arm itself by switching your status to Away. Again, Guard is US only at the moment.
• Send Announcement broadcasts a message to one more Alexa devices.
• Music & Podcasts plays a specified song, artist, podcast, or station. If need be, you can set a timer to limit how long things run.
• News plays the Flash Briefing configured in the News sub-menu under Settings.
• Smart Home triggers something your Alexa-connected accessories are capable of.
• Traffic reports current road congestion based on your home and work addresses.
• Weather gives a quick forecast based on where your Alexa device is located.

How to use Alexa routines

To build an Alexa routine:

• Open the Alexa mobile app and select More >Routines.
• From the Routines menu, tap the plus icon in the upper-right.
• Enter a name. Make it short yet memorable, especially if the routine is voice-triggered and you want to remember what to say. It’s easier to say “Alexa, go dark” than “Alexa, Kitchen and Living Room Nighttime Shutdown.”
• Tap When this happens to choose a trigger condition. You’ll see various categories (described above), each with its own configuration options. We recommend limiting triggers to contexts you can count on. If you commute daily, but your partner frequently works from home, you shouldn’t have all the lights turn off whenever you leave the house. It might be better to schedule lighting changes instead, say by having lamps come on 30 minutes before sunrise, and shut off after you’ve gone to bed.
• Tap Add action to choose what happens when a trigger condition is met. You can combine multiple actions. A “good night” routine, for example, might shut off the lights, lock the doors, lower the thermostat, and reduce the volume on your bedside Echo before it starts shuffling ambient music from Spotify.
• Be sure to tap the Save or Enable button (depending on context) to have the routine take effect.

If you want to save time or need some recommendations, Amazon has a selection of pre-made options in the Routines menu’s Featured tab, such as “Morning briefing,” “I’m home,” and “Sunset light.” If you pick one of these, you can (and should) still personalize the routine before enabling it.

Read more: How to use Amazon Alexa

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